Vending machine



Jan. 9, 1951 H. T. PROBASCO 2,537,317

VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 13, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 10 1e I Z0 I 5INVENTOR. Meamffieaanaco o I I Jan. 9, 1951 H. T. PROBASCO 2,537,317

' VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY 0; I, I

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED ATENT OFFICE 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to vending machines, but.particularlyto a coin controlled machine for vending articles of merchandise inbulk, such'as candy, salted nuts, chewing gum, etc., and a primaryobjectis to provide a vending machine for such purpose which whileembodying someof-the conventional features of machines heretofore and'now used also includes several new, noveLand desirable features whichaffords greater simplicity,faci1ity, and certainty of operation, moreperfect sanitation in the handling, storing, and dispensing of foodproducts, more security against unauthorized use of .the machine andconsequent losses by theft of the dispensed products and a substantialeconomy of production and maintenancewhen compared with other, ma

chines for a similar purpose.

The objects of invention therefore include means for producing thefollowing results:

Streamlining the appearance ofthe assembled unit by the omission ofprotruding parts or sun.

faces which are prone to be fouled with dirt and grime and are conduciveto unsightliness andune.

sanitariness Employment of a carefullystudieddesigner: all ofthesub-unitsand parts to an extent which will permit rapid assembly anddisassembly thereof and readyaccess to the material container for.

cleanin and replenishment and to the operating mechanism for easyandrapid repair, adjustment, replacement and service;

Redesign of -a well known type of .coin op.

erating unit which will be effective for di pensing aquantity ofmechandise only upon the insertion of a predetermined coin and whichwill automatically reject slugs or imperfect coins. andv types ofmachines for increasin the economy, and benefits of use anddecreasingtherequiree.

ments of service, repair, operation, and replacement. I

Other and moredetailed objects will appearas the description progresses.I H

In the annexed drawings there is shown a ,pre ferred form of vendingmachine embodying my improvements, in which: 3 v a ,Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is ascctional elevation on line 2-.- 2 o f Fi Fig. 3igacross-sectional plan view on-line 3--.- 3; of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary viewof a brush and mounting thereforassociatedwith the dispensin unit;

Fig. 4 is apartial sectional elevation on line 4 4-of'Fig. '3, andshowing details of the dispensing -mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the coin con trolled dispensingmechanism as viewed in the directionof arrow -5 in Fig.4;

Figsa and 5b are, respectively,fragmentary sectional views onlinesy5a-5a, and dbfifib of Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the tensioning means in theplane of line6-4; of Fig. 4;

Figs. '7 and Marc similar sectional views ordevices cooperatingto latchthe dispenser against. operation when aslug-or undersizedcoin is'used'inattempt to defraud the machine-Fig. 7 showing the device'whenpermitting operation by a coin ofappropriate size and valueancl- Fig. 7cshowing the same as lockin the mechanism againstoperationas when a slugorcoin of wrong. size and value is used;

Fig. 8 is aview of thecoin control mechanism as viewed in a planeadjacent the plane of Fig. 6; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are, respectively, sectional plans on lines 9-9 andll-.10 of Fig. 2.

Briefly described a vending machine embody; ingmy improvementsincludesabase A, a hollow body B, abowl or ,container C (usuallyof glass or;

other transparent material), :a container mounts.

ne cD. whic e ra e we r e the other in succession and are .detachablyheld together by means of a singlestayrod Said; rod is threaded into aboss i on the upper-side of bottom 2 of base B and maybe held tight asby,

means of a locknut 3, as shown in Fig. 2. The.

upper end of rod- E isfixed to the cylinder of a lock F, thebarrelofwhich is held in a depending boss 4 fromthe w ll .;5 of top D. Lock Fmay-be operated by a key G so that membersA, B, C,

and D may be locked together to prevent access to the interior of body Band container C, at will-,

or when unlocked said .membersmay be quickly andeasily detached for anypurpose.

Bottom 2 of base AI is of .concavecrosssection and pro des-a s ble c ine a e and an. annular fiangeia is extended above bottom? for.telescqpically receivingthe skirt ii of body 13. The upper end portionofbody. B is formed with an,

3 external annular seat I to receive and support an annular flange 8of'member C, and member C is formed with an internal seat 3 forreceiving and supporting the lower edge of container C and a suitablegasket ID. A plate It overlies the upper edge of container C and isconnected with member C as by means of rods I2, I2 having pivotedbutterfly heads i3 fixed to their upper ends while their lower ends arethreaded into an internal depending wall is of member C. Plate II has acentral opening through which boss 4 of top D extends.

Thus, when lock F is operated for detaching the several units of theassembly the top is first removed, then the container C and its mountingC, and finally body B from base A. If desired by turning rods I2 throughmanipulation of butterfly heads I3 member C may be removed from mountingC.

Member C bears a frusto-conical member I5 having a flange I3 seated withgasket I onseat 9 of member C and open at its bottom immediately above adispensing unit H which is r0- tatably mounted on rod E within wall I4of member C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The wall I4 of member C in whichmember I and dispensing unit H are mounted has a closed bottom I8 onwhich unit H rests. Said unit is generally conventional in form and issubdivided into a plurality of pockets IS, IS etc., of uniform sizewhich are open at their tops for receiving charges of material fromcontainer C of measured quantitles of the material to be dispensed ateach operation as the unit H is rotated by means hereinafter described.Pockets 59 are separated by radial portions I3 preferably bearingadjustable sheet metal separators 23 which are in the form of fiat webswith depending flanges 2|. Webs are arcuately slotted at 22 toadjustably receive screws 23 whereby the size and capacity of pockets I9may be varied at will.

. The bottom I8 of wall 64 has an orifice 24 and a depending flange 25around which the upper end of a delivery chute 26 fits, said chute beingextended downwardly and forwardly on a curve and integral with the frontwall 2? of body B, as shown in Fig. 4. Preferably, the outlet 28 of thechute is closed by a detachable flap 29 which is hinged at oppositepoints 3!], 33 on the wall 21 of the body, as in open notches, so thatat times it may be readily removed.

The pockets I9 of dispenser H are movable into registration successivelyas the dispenser is actuated for dispensing measured quantities ofmaterial from container C through chute 23 for use. Dispenser H includesa sprocket or gear 3I which rotates on the vertical axis of rod E and isdriven by a pinion 32 fixed to a horizontal shaft 33 journaled in a boss34 on a plate 35 of body B. An operating handle il is suitably fixed toshaft 33 for rotating dispenser H through shaft 33 and pinion 32 underthe control of a coin actuated mechanism generally indicated at M andwhich, also, is of generally conventional type but embodies certaindetails of structure and arrangement of parts of my invention.

Said coin controlled operating mechanism is detachably mounted as a uniton the front wall of body B on the escutcheon plate 35 in the followingmanner. An inner plate 36 of the same size as plate 35 is attached bymeans of screws 31 to plate 35 and also extend through spacer 38,

and plates 35 and 33 are so arranged that the tions 38 to providegrooves 39 to slidably receive opposite edges 40 of an opening in bodywall 21 which extends from the upper extremity of flap 29 to the upperedge of body B where the slot is open to permit the bodily insertion andremoval of unit M. The edges 40 of said slot are tapered correspondinglyto provide a greater width of slot at the top than at the bottom, so asto facilitate the insertion and removal of unit M and eliminate nicetyof fitting when the machine is assembled and disassembled.

The inner side of plate 35 has a circular recess 4| concentric with theaxis of shaft 33 for rotatably receiving a combined locking andunlocking disc 42 (Fig. 8) fixed to shaft '33. Said disc has a singlecoin receiving recess 43 open at the periphery of. the disc, two groupsof ratchet teeth 44 and 45one on each side of recess 43and anintermediate concentric dwell 46 between said groups of teeth. Normalldisc 42 is held with the coin recess 43 in registration with a slot 41in member C and a continuing slot 47' in plate 35 so that a coin may beconveniently placed in operating position in recess 42 when the machineis at rest.

Disc 42 is urged to normally inoperative coin receiving position by aspring 48 which extends for a few convolutions around shaft 33 and hasits inner end anchored at 48' to a washer 43 rotatably carried on shaft33 and its outer end anchored to plate 35 by one of the screws 31 (Fig.5). Said washer has a plurality of radial extensions 50 thereon whichoverlie corresponding inclined arcuate beads 5I formed on the inner sideof plate 36 and are spaced apart so that when the extensions 53 abut theends of beads 5I the operating member 6 and disc 42 will be stopped atcoin receiving position. When disc 42, however, is turned in a givendirection as ina dispensing operation, the extensions 50 will climb uponand traverse the inclined surfaces of the beads and thereby tension thespring 48 and raise washer 49 away from plate 36 and disengage thewasher from a pin 56 on disc 42 which at times extends through a hole 56in the washer. Thus, the spring 48 serves the dual purposes oftensioning the operating member '3 and disc 42 and of holding washer 49in engagement with pin 56' at times.

Members 0 and 42 rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFig. 8, the extent of which movement depends upon the presence orabsence of a coin L in recess 43. If no coin is in said recess a slightforward movement of disc 42 will move the trailing edge of recess 43into abutment with the free end of a pawl 52 which is pivoted at 53 inplate 38 and is urged into engagement with disc 42 by a spring 54 in arecess 55 of plate 38, and such a slight movement will not suflice tooperate dispenser H.

If, however, a coin L is held on the disc it will engage and lift pawl52 out of interference with the trailing edge of recess 43, therebypermitting a complete revolution of said members and a consequentmovement of dispenser H to an extent which will eifect registration ofone of its pockets IS with orifice 24 and evacuation of the contents ofsuch pocket and delivery thereof through chute 26 to the operator.

In the event an undersize or improper coin or slug be inserted in slot43 means is provided for detecting the same and preventing operation ofthe machine by their use. For example, if a coin. of less diameter orvalue than that of a prede-' termined coin is placed in slot 43 the endof pawl 52 it will drop suffic-ientiy to engage the trailing edge ofslot'43nnd preventfurther forward and efiective rotation of themembers and42L 'If'a thinner than normal coin is use'da detector 60 is employedtostop-efiective rotation of said members. Said detector is pivotallymounted at El on lugs 52', t2 bent outwardly from plate -36 andtensioned by-"a spring 6-3 coiled around pintle BI and having one end 64bearing upon detector 60 and the -otherend 6-5 bearing "against plate35, all as shown in Figs; 7 'an'd7A. The free'end of detector G9 has afo'ctBB extended through an aperture 61' oi" plate 36 so'that' in anauthorized rotation of disc 42 (Fig; 7) -the foottt will rideupon' thefiat face of the discbut upon the attempted fraudulentoperation-bytheuse of an improper coin or "slug Ii (Fig: "-7A) :the foot'B'fiwill fall into coinslot 43 'and-enga the trail ing edge of the slotafter but a slightoperation and thereby prevent a complete and effectiveoperation of the dispensing mechanism:

As' shown in Figs. 5 and 5B, the coin L is car ried in slot 43 untildisc 42'has'been rotated to'an extent which will register slot 43 witha'coin receiving outlet-68 formed on the plate 36' and hav ing'aninclined bottom 69 fo guidingthe coin downwardly so that it will fallinto the concave receptacle aof base A (Fig. 2) I Referring to Figs; 3,3A, and5 it willbe noted that there is disclosed a novel levelingmeansarranged above the dispenser H for preventingan overfilling ofpockets 9. The means shownfor such purpose is also generallyconventional in 'form but embodies certain structural improv'e meritswhich render the machine more easily assembled and freer from operatingtroubles than units formerly used. Said leveling unit includes aplurality of-so-called brushes l6, l commonly mounted on a segmentalplate ll (Fig. 4), the outer edgeof which lies diametri'cally"overdispenser H and the outer marginal portion of which is held in 'seat9between meniber Cf and container C.

Plate H is of thin metal, is readily-yieldable and has a row ofupwardlybent ears 12 (Fig. 3A) near its inner straight edge 13. 'Brushesi'lflare formed as coiled springs andtheir-upperextremities are detachablybut securely fastenedltoplate I I by spreading the upper and adjacentcoils "I4 and I apart sufiiciently to force the brushes rearwardly underthe plate until the upper coils snap into position behind ears i2asshowninFig. 3A. Thus, as dispenser H moves under the brushes the surplusmaterial is displaced from the pockets R9 in succession and thedispenser will rotate freely without crushing or breaking the materialor clogging of the dispensing mechanism. The flexibility of the brushesand the blunt surfaces thereof in lieu of fiat, though yieldable,blade-like scrapers affords reasonable assurance that the dispensedproduct will not be impaired and the particular form of and means formounting the brushes is novel, simple, and efiective.

It may be understood that at no time in the absence of a proper coin inslot 43 of disc 42 can the disc be rotated forwardly to a point beyondthe engagement of pawl 52 with the trailing edge of slot 43 and evenwith an improper coin or slug in slot 43 the rotation of disc 42 wouldbe stopped by engagement of the foot 66 of detector 60 and the trailingedge of slot 43. In either event the washer 49 which is keyed to disc 42by pin 56 would not have been moved rotatably and axially to an extentsufiicient to disengage the washer Importance of the washer $9 in thehookupof the operating member with thedispenser would be at once notedinasmuch as its functionais to apply the tension of the spring 48 tothe-operating member 0 and disc 42 in order to:always1re turn saidelements to normal-coin receiving' posl tion if, perchance, theoperating member. is turned without acoin in slot 4-3, Afterdiscvfl hasbeen rotated forwardly with a coin in itsslot to a point beyond possibleengagement with pawl 52 the washer which has been also rotated'tma'corresponding extent will have at such point-of engagement beendisengaged fromits pin 56 thereby rendering spring 48 effective forretract ing the washer to normal position whilerthewroe tation of thedisc continues to the extent ofaiull revolution. Thus the washer isreleasablycom nected with the disc for the purpose of retracting thedisc up to a given point-in its rotationi-and thereafter permitting thecontinued free rotation of the disc to the end of a single revoiution.

It is important also that the operatingassembly include the plurality ofinclined arcua'te be'ads or ridges 5| and that the washer includes' -acorresponding number of extensions 5t thereon altere natingwith anindividually engaging said beads so that, as the washer is forwardlrotated, it is urged away from plate 36 axially and all of theextensions 58 are at all times in the-sam plane transversely of thewasher axis instead of as in other machines for the same purposetilting-a member such as the washer 49for accomplishing a similarresult.

The essence of this invention accordingly is in the specific structuralimprovements embodied in the operating mechanism, the dispensingmechanism, and in the general assembly of the body sections A, B, C, C,and D which is superposed one upon the other in succession, are commonlyheld in assembled position against unauthorized access by the single rodE and lock F, thereby permitting'quick assembly and disassembly, and

yet affording ample safety and security against manipulation for thepurpose of defrauding the machine or robbing it of its contents or themoney accumulated in the base A.

I claim:

1. A vending machine comprising: a base, a first body member mounted onsaid base, a second body member superposed on the second body member, areceptacle for dispensable material superposed on the second body memberand provided at its bottom with a rotatable dispensing unit and at itstop with a cover, means for securing the second body member, thereceptacle and the cover together for removal as a unit from the firstbody member and together with said dispensing member, means for securingsaid receptacle and dispensing unit to said first body member and saidbase against unauthorized detachment, and an operating mechanism mountedon the first body member and operatively connected with said dispensingmember.

2. A vending machine as characterized in When the: 1 washer disengagedclaim 1 in which a wall of said first body member is formed with arecess open at its upper edge for removably receiving said operatingmechanism, whereby when the receptacle and associated elements areremoved from the first body member the operating mechanism may beinserted or removed as a'unit but not otherwise.

3. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which a wall of saidfirst body member is formed with a recess open at its upper edge forremovably receiving said operating mechanism, whereby when thereceptacle and associated elements are removed from the first bodymember the operating mechanism may be inserted or removed as a unit butnot otherwise, said first body member having a delivery chute inwardlythereof for receiving material from the dispensing member and an outletin a wall of the first body member for delivering dispensed quantitiesof material to a user.

4. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which a wall of saidfirst body member is formed with a recess open at its upper edge forremovably receiving said operating mechanism, whereby when thereceptacle and associated elements are removed from the first bodymember the operating mechanism may be inserted or removed as a unit butnot otherwise, said first body member having a delivery chute inwardlythereof for receiving material from the dispensing member and an outletin a wall of the first body member for delivering dispensed quantitiesof material to a user, said outlet being open 19.1? the bottom of therecess in which the operating unit is held, and a cover removably andhingedly seated at the top of and for normally closing said outlet, saidcover being held in position by and removable from its seat only whensaid operating unit is removed.

5. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which said lastmentioned securing means includes a vertically disposed rod fixed at itslower end to the base and extended through the first and second bodymembers, the dispensing unit and the receptacle and detachably securedto said receptacle cover.

6. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which said lastmentioned securing means includes a vertically disposed rod fixed at itslower end to the base and extended through the first and second bodymembers, the dispensing unit and the receptacle and detachably securedto said receptacle cover, and a key operated lock borne by thereceptacle cover and operatively connected with said rod for separatingsaid units Without individual disassembly.

'7. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which saiddispensing unit includes a plural pocketed member rotatable in eachdispensing operation to an extent necessary to move a predeterminedsingle charge of material to a position for delivery to a user.

8. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which saiddispensing unit includes a plural pocketed member rotatable in eachdispensing operation to an extent necessary to move a predeterminedsingle charge of material to a position for delivery to a user, and saidoperating unit includes a rotatable member, said rotatable operatingmember and said rotatabledispensing member having gears constantlyengaged for effecting successive operations.

9. A vending machine as characterized in claim 1 in which saiddispensing unit includes a plural pocketed member rotatable in eachdispensing operation to an extent necessary to move a predeterminedsingle charge of material to a position for delivery to a user, and saidoperating unit includes a rotatable member, said rotatable operatingmember and said rotatable dispensing member having gears constantlyengaged for effecting successive operations, the bottom of saidreceptacle being partly open for communication with the pockets of thedispensing member, and yieldable elements depending from the closedportion of the receptacle bottom overlying the dispensing member forengagement with and directing the movement of material into the openpockets of the dispensing member.

HAROLD T. PROBASCO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,134,305 Wiesner Apr. 6, 19151,158,692 Lance Nov. 2, 1915 1,192,019 Taylor July 25, 1916 1,239,753Antoine et a1 Sept. 11, 1917 1,490,365 Du Grenier Apr. 15, 19241,651,605 Kuhn et al Dec. 6, 1927 1,845,094 Morin Feb. 16, 19322,258,916 Tratsch et a1 Oct. 14, 1941 2,330,390 Smith Sept. 28, 1943UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No,2,537,317 January 9, 1951 Harold T. Probasco It is herebj certified thaterror appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 6, line 61, for "second body" read first body Signed and sealedthis 23rd day of June 1959.

(SEAL) Attest: I KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

